>I know that you are a
>very comprehensive analyst, so I
>really do hesitate to ask
>the question (but my curiosity
>has the better of me):
> Assessed solely by the
>quality of the opposition, do
>you still come to the
>same conclusion?
>
>G

Whoops, I just saw your question now, and let me apologize if my simple comment has unintentionally ruffled a few feathers (and I don't mean just yours).

There's not a single criteria that could be used to judge who's the best of what, as we all have our own preferences, opinions, judgments and likes (for example, OFG has professed her somewhat dislike for Kim's style of play while I respect her style of play as I like the cool and collected types - that doesn't make her any more wrong or smarter than I might be) ... but having said that, here's why I said that about Kim:

As michel pointed out, she just completely played a guy many of us might consider to have been playing a decent enough game of Survivor up to last episode. Troy is a superfan of the show and most people would consider him pretty savvy, and at this point in Survivor's history, there's a lot of contestants that show up gunning and firing on all cylinders, quick to set up alliances, and do other things because they've mostly all have seen Survivor and know how the game works. For one thing, I think most of us can agree that this appears to be a sharper bunch of game players than what Rob had to deal with in S22 Redemption Island.

With all that, Kim still appears to be able to firmly have two alliances in control and is able to pull strings rather easily to get so-called savvy game players to do what she wishes. She's making it look easy so far.

Now, of course, it could all be an illusion while somebody else is actually pulling the strings and maybe Kim will take a big fall later on -- but based on what we've been shown by the editors, it's hard not to think that Kim is playing at a level so few Survivors have ever attained.

Just a matter of a personal opinion on the game play so far and there's still plenty of time left in the season for me to come out looking like a fool while somebody else rises to glory.